A plain-English guide to Missouri’s bullying and cyberbullying law, written for school counselors and other school staff. Start with the summary, then open any section below for the legal details.
Bottom line for counselors: Missouri requires every school district to have a written bullying policy. The law covers cyberbullying but does not clearly reach off-campus behavior. Follow your district's reporting and investigation steps and keep careful notes.
Missouri's bullying law includes 11 of 14 key elements, which Lantern rates strong. Cyberbullying can also be a crime under Missouri law. State law lets schools discipline students for cyberbullying. School phones: statewide ban (SB 68, July 7, 2025). Missouri also has an online-safety law for minors: 15 CSR 60-18.010 et seq..
Sources last checked: StopBullying.gov summary reviewed April 29, 2026 · school phone rules checked November 11, 2026 · online-safety tracker updated December 16, 2025.
Lantern · State profile
Strong state protections · 11 of 14 key elements
- Covers cyberbullying Yes
- Reaches off-campus behavior No
- District policy required Yes
- Reporting & investigation rules Yes
- Staff training Yes
- Support for students involved Yes
- School phone rules Statewide phone restriction
- Online safety laws for minors 1 on the books
What this means for counselors
- Your district is required to have a written bullying policy. Find it, and learn who in your building receives reports.
- State law sets expectations for reporting and investigating bullying. Follow your district's steps and timelines, and keep careful notes.
- State law does not clearly extend to off-campus cyberbullying. Your district policy may still apply, so check it and talk with your administrator.
- The law calls for support for students who are involved. That is core counseling work, for the student targeted and for the student who bullied.
- Staff training is part of state law. Ask when training happens and make sure it covers cyberbullying and social media.
- Prevention education is expected. Classroom lessons on digital citizenship and online empathy fit here.
- State law does not spell out a role for parents, so building partnerships with families is up to your school.
- Your state limits student phone use at school. Know your school's phone rules so responses to online incidents are consistent.
- Your state has laws on minors' online safety. They mostly regulate tech companies, but they are useful context when you talk with families.
What Missouri’s bullying law includes
- Bans bullying outright: included
The law clearly states that bullying is not allowed. - Defines bullying: included
The law spells out what counts as bullying. - Says where the rules apply: included
The law describes where the rules apply, such as school grounds, buses, events, or online. - Names protected groups: not included
The law lists characteristics, such as race or disability, that bullying often targets. - Districts must have a policy: included
Every school district has to adopt a written bullying policy. - Reporting and investigation rules: included
The law sets out how bullying is reported and investigated. - Consequences for bullying: included
The law describes consequences for students who bully. - Policy shared with families: included
Districts have to tell students, staff, and families about the policy. - Support for students involved: included
The law calls for protection or support, such as counseling, for students who are involved. - Policies reviewed and updated: included
District policies have to be reviewed and kept up to date. - Prevention education: included
The law requires or encourages bullying prevention lessons or programs. - Staff training: included
The law requires or encourages training for teachers and other staff. - Parent involvement: not included
The law involves parents in preventing or responding to bullying.
Questions and answers about the law
How are bullying and cyberbullying defined in Missouri anti-bullying laws and regulations?
Missouri anti-bullying laws and regulations include the following definition of bullying:
“Bullying” means intimidation, unwanted aggressive behavior, or harassment that is repetitive or is substantially likely to be repeated and causes a reasonable student to fear for his or her physical safety or property; substantially interferes with the educational performance, opportunities, or benefits of any student without exception; or substantially disrupts the orderly operation of the school. Bullying may consist of physical actions, including gestures, or oral, cyberbullying, electronic, or written communication, and any threat of retaliation for reporting of such acts. Bullying of students is prohibited on school property, at any school function, or on a school bus. “Cyberbullying” means bullying as defined in this subsection through the transmission of a communication including, but not limited to, a message, text, sound, or image by means of an electronic device including, but not limited to, a telephone, wireless telephone, or other wireless communication device, computer, or pager.
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 160.775 (2016)
Do Missouri anti-bullying laws and regulations cover cyberbullying that occurs off-campus?
No. Missouri anti-bullying laws do not cover off-campus conduct. However, Missouri anti-bullying laws do state that any school district shall have jurisdiction to prohibit cyberbullying that originates on a school’s campus or at a district activity if the electronic communication was made using the school’s technological resources, if there is a sufficient nexus to the educational environment, or if the electronic communication was made on the school’s campus or at a district activity using the student’s own personal technological resources. School districts may discipline any student for such cyberbullying to the greatest extent allowed by the law.
What are the policy requirements for schools to prevent and respond to bullying behavior?
Missouri school districts must adopt an anti-bullying policy. School district policies must contain key policy and procedural elements, including, but not limited to:
- Statements prohibiting bullying defined no less inclusively than definitions in state law;
- Procedures for reporting and investigations, including designation of an individual at each school to receive reports of incidents of bullying and identification of one or more employees responsible for investigations;
- Statements prohibiting reprisal or retaliation and consequences and remedial actions for reprisal or retaliation;
- Statements regarding how the policy will be publicized within the district; and
- Procedures for discussing the anti-bullying policy with students and training school employees and volunteers on the requirements of the policy.
Missouri anti-bullying laws require districts to review the policy and revise it as needed with input from school personnel, students, and administrators. School districts must also gather data on violence, substance abuse, and bullying and must use information to modify programs and strategies to ensure safe and orderly schools.
Do Missouri anti-bullying laws and regulations include protections for specific groups?
No. There are no specific groups listed under Missouri anti-bullying laws or regulations. Missouri anti-bullying laws state that policies must treat all students equally and shall not contain specific lists of protected classes of students who are to received special treatment.
Missouri schools that receive federal funding are required by federal law to address discrimination based on certain personal characteristics. Find out when bullying may be a civil rights violation.
Do Missouri anti-bullying laws and regulations encourage or require districts to implement bullying prevention programs or strategies?
Yes. Missouri anti-bullying laws require districts to provide education and information to students regarding bullying, including information regarding the school district policy prohibiting bullying, the harmful effects of bullying, and other applicable initiatives to address bullying. The school district administration must implement programs and other initiatives to address bullying, including violence prevention instruction for all students and staff that includes information on preventing and responding to illegal harassment and bullying.
Do Missouri anti-bullying laws and regulations encourage or require districts to train teachers and other school staff on how to respond to bullying incidents?
Yes. Missouri school districts must provide information and appropriate training regarding the policy to school district staff who have significant contact with students.
Do Missouri anti-bullying laws and regulations encourage or require districts to provide safeguards or mental health supports for students involved with bullying?
Yes. Missouri anti-bullying laws require school districts to implement programs and other initiatives to address bullying, to respond to such conduct in a manner that does not stigmatize the victim, and to make resources available to victims of bullying. Missouri anti-bullying laws also require districts to instruct school counselors, school social workers, and other mental health professionals to educate students who are victims of bullying on techniques for students to overcome the negative effects of bullying.
Do Missouri anti-bullying laws and regulations involve parents in efforts to address bullying behavior?
No. Missouri anti-bullying laws do not create expectations for parent involvement in addressing bullying.
Answers from StopBullying.gov, last reviewed April 29, 2026.
School phone and device rules
Statewide ban. Most recent statewide action: SB 68, July 7, 2025.
Source: Ballotpedia, checked November 11, 2026.
Online safety and social media laws for minors
These laws mostly place duties on apps, platforms, and websites, such as age checks, parental consent, or limits on addictive feeds. Several have been challenged in court.
- 15 CSR 60-18.010 et seq.
In effect: November 30, 2025
Source: Orrick Online Safety Law Tracker, updated December 16, 2025.
Legal citations, explained (5)
Each entry shows what the law or rule is about first, then its official name with abbreviations spelled out.
- Discipline, written policy established by local boards of education — contents — reporting requirements — additional restrictions for certain suspensions — weapons offense, mandatory suspension or expulsion — no civil liability for authorized personnel — spanking not child abuse, when — investigation procedure — officials falsifying reports, penalty Law passed by the legislature Missouri Revised Statutes Section 160.261 Read the text of Missouri Revised Statutes Section 160.261
- Anti-bullying policy required — definition — content, requirements Law passed by the legislature Missouri Revised Statutes Section 160.775 Read the text of Missouri Revised Statutes Section 160.775
- Principal, teachers, school employees to report certain acts, to whom, exceptions — limit on liability — penalty Law passed by the legislature Missouri Revised Statutes Section 167.117 Read the text of Missouri Revised Statutes Section 167.117
- Missouri School Improvement Program 6 Rule from a state agency Missouri Code of State Regulations 5 CSR 20-100.125 Read the text of Missouri Code of State Regulations 5 CSR 20-100.125
- Missouri School Improvement Program-5 Resource and Process Standards and Indicators Rule from a state agency Missouri Code of State Regulations 5 CSR 20-100.255 Read the text of Missouri Code of State Regulations 5 CSR 20-100.255
Official Missouri resources
Educational information, not legal advice. Laws change, so confirm with your district and state education department.
Find a school district in Missouri
Search by ZIP code, select a district on the map, or look one up by name. Each district links to a search for its own bullying policy, since district rules can go further than state law.
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